Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a 4-fluorobiphenyl derivative of formula (I), which is useful as a cholesterol lowering agent or a lipid lowering agent because of its strong inhibitory effect on a 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (hereinafter referred to as HMG-CoA reductase) thereof, and which is also useful as an intermediate for producing the above-mentioned cholesterol lowering agent or lipid lowering agent: ##STR2## wherein A is a .omega.-oxycarbonyldihydroxybutyl group of formula (II): ##STR3## wherein R.sup.4 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent, an alkaline metal or an alkaline earth metal;
a tetrahydropyranyl group of formula (III): ##STR4## a .omega.-oxycarbonyl-3-oxobutyl group of formula (IV): ##STR5## wherein R.sup.6 is an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent; PA1 a formyl group; or PA1 a cyano group, PA1 R.sup.1 is a halogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6, which may have a substituent or a group represented by R.sup.5 O--, wherein R.sup.5 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent; R.sup.2 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent; R.sup.3 is a hydrogen atom, or an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent; R.sup.5 and R.sup.2 may form a five-membered ring or a six-membered ring in combination with the oxygen atoms to which R.sup.5 and R.sup.2 are respectively bonded, and R.sup.5 and R.sup.3 may form a five-membered ring or a six-membered ring in combination with the oxygen atom to which R.sup.5 is bonded. PA1 a tetrahydropyranyl group of formula (III): ##STR8## a .omega.-oxycarbonyl-3-oxobutyl group of formula (IV) ##STR9## wherein R.sup.6 is an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent; PA1 a formyl group; or PA1 a cyano group, PA1 R.sup.1 is a halogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent, or a group represented by R.sup.5 O--, wherein R.sup.5 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent; R.sup.2 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atom, which may have a substituent; R.sup.3 is a hydrogen atom, or an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent; R.sup.5 and R.sup.2 may form a five-membered ring or a six-membered ring in combination with the oxygen atoms to which R.sup.5 and R.sup.2 are respectively bonded, and R.sup.5 and R.sup.3 may form a five-membered ring or a six-membered ring in combination with the oxygen atom to which R.sup.5 is bonded.